Continuity has become a dirty word among the Jags critics. One of the biggest reasons I like the hire is that it tries to have the best of both worlds. We have a coach who understands BC, has prior relationships with some of the TOB staff, has a prior relationship with Gene and is familiar with the formula of success. Yet Jags has been gone for eight years and clearly has his own identity. He is not a TOB clone. He is a breath of fresh air. He is much more personable than the stoic Marine. There is chance he will be dynamic enough to energize our fanbase so that we travel better or get in our seats for kickoffs. Hopefully his passion will also mean BC won’t come out flat in big or important games (like Syracuse or UNC).
We didn’t need wholesale changes in offense. But we do need a reinvigoration of our Line. I believe Jags will provide that. We don’t need to start running gimmicky offense, but we do need new play calling. I know Jags will provide that.
I also like that he will try to take things TOB did and improve them. Our recruiting pipelines are solid and make sense. We should recruit New England, New Jersey, the Midwest Catholic Schools and mix it up for a few kids in Florida, Texas and California. But now we have a fresh face on the trail who will hopefully close on a few big names. We haven’t closed on anyone since Toal.
Whipple would have been a much bigger shock to the system. Some think it is what BC needed. I don’t. I like that Jags goal is to build on what we have, not start from scratch. Some will say he is Gene’s puppet. I doubt it. He’s been around football enough to know when things aren’t working and where a head coach has to draw the line.
A month ago I felt trapped. There were many things I liked about TOB’s tenure, but had grown frustrated with him and his short comings. Now I am excited.
This might not work. But I am a believer now. Continuity in Jags’ case is a good thing. We will continue to win yet now have hope for something more.
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more excitement from him in twenty minutes than we've had from a head coach in ten years.
Did TOB ever use the word fun in 10 years? I agree that he was enthusiastic and sincere, he was infectious. I am looking forward to hearing what the players have to say about him after having met him yesterday. There was a reference that some were available to the press after the news conference was over. I also liked that he told the press that he was looking forward to working with them - its part of the job. Might as well embrace it.
fyi...out of Charlotte
N.C. STATE FOOTBALL
O'Brien goes back to B.C. to recruit staff
KEN TYSIAC
ktysiac@charlotteobserver.com
New N.C. State football coach Tom O'Brien will leave today for Boston to speak with members of his staff at Boston College about joining him in Raleigh.
O'Brien's hiring was announced Dec. 8, and he left his staff behind to prepare the Eagles for the Dec. 30 Meineke Car Care Bowl against Navy in Charlotte under interim coach Frank Spaziani.
O'Brien said some of his former staff members might not want to leave Boston because they have family there or are attached to the area. He will learn more about their plans Thursday.
Also
• Boston College is expected to announce today that Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski will replace O'Brien. Jagodzinski served on O'Brien's staff in 1997 and 1998. O'Brien said his former assistants don't know yet what opportunities they might have under Jagodzinski.
• Former Chuck Amato assistants Curt Cignetti and Dick Portee have done a good job "selling what our vision is going to be" to recruits during the transition, O'Brien said. He has talked to all the members of Amato's staff but didn't indicate in a news conference Tuesday who he might retain.
• O'Brien hopes to have a staff in place by Jan. 3 to set his recruiting plan in motion. He said N.C. State missed recruiting opportunities the past three weeks because of the transition, but won't get further behind because the holidays are an NCAA-mandated dead period.
I am in the process of becoming a double eagle, but I grew up in Lawrence, Kansas (and I am currently home for Christmas Break). I watched Jag’s press conference live and almost fell out of my chair when Jag’s said “I want a kid in Kansas wearing a BC hat to be asked: ‘Are you a BC guy? Wow! You have a great looking football team!’” Does this guy know me????? I have been trying to explain how great BC is to my KU friends for years. Now I finally have a head coach that will back me up. Now I have a head coach that will sell BC as a national program. Now I might actually find good ole’ Midwestern Catholics that realize there is another catholic university other than Notre Dame. I almost fell out of my chair when I heard Jags say that. It was like he was speaking directly to me. I almost pissed myself (a few drops got away). Chills ran down my spine. I love this guy.
And yes, I will be in Allen Field House on Saturday. People around here are pumped for that game. My head is going to explode. I love BC athletics right now!
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